The shadows are darker, the stakes deadlier, and the war more personal than ever. The first official trailer for Sicario 3: Cartel Eclipse has just dropped, confirming the long-awaited return of Benicio del Toro as the silent and ruthless assassin Alejandro Gillick in what may be the most intense installment of the critically acclaimed crime saga.

Directed by Stefano Sollima, who helmed Sicario: Day of the Soldado, this third chapter picks up in the wake of a fractured alliance between U.S. intelligence and Mexican law enforcement. When a splinter faction of a major cartel begins targeting CIA assets, Gillick is pulled back into a world of political deception, revenge, and total anarchy.

The trailer opens with a montage of burning safehouses, black ops raids, and Gillick walking alone through a war-torn desert. A haunting voiceover from Josh Brolin’s Matt Graver sets the tone: “We tried to control chaos. But chaos has its own rules.”

Key highlights from the trailer include:

• Gillick executing a rogue CIA operative in broad daylight

• A tense standoff inside a tunnel running beneath the border

• A new antagonist known only as El Cuervo, played by Tenoch Huerta, who claims to be “the one cartel no one saw coming”

• A surprise reveal of a young girl who may be connected to Alejandro’s past

Also starring Emily Blunt, returning in a limited but powerful role as Kate Macer, the trailer hints at a deeper conspiracy and moral reckoning for all characters involved.

Fans are hailing it as a return to the franchise’s brutal realism and unflinching look at the blurred lines between justice and revenge. Hashtags like #Sicario3, #CartelEclipse, and #BenicioReturns are already trending on X (formerly Twitter) and Reddit.

Sicario 3: Cartel Eclipse is set for a theatrical release on October 3, 2025, with early screenings rumored at the Venice Film Festival.

Justice is gone. Only survival remains. 🦂💣